1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector having a watertight configuration with respect to a gap between the connector and an electrical wire.
2. Description of the Related Art
A motor vehicle is mounted with a variety of electrical devices. Electrical power or control signal is supplied to the electrical devices via a wiring harness. The wiring harness includes a plurality of the electrical wires and a connector. The electrical wire has a conductive core wire and an insulation covering the core wire.
There are several sealed connectors to prevent entry of liquid such as water into the connector. For example, (JP) H05-152028 A discloses a connector having a connector housing and a seal member. The connector housing includes a box-shaped first housing having a terminal-receiving channel to receive a terminal connected with an electrical wire and a tube-shaped second housing receiving the first housing therein.
The seal member has a plate shape and is formed from a resilient material such as rubber. The seal member has a plurality of through-holes to allow entry of the electrical wires connected with the terminals. The seal member is press-fitted in the second housing receiving the first housing and seals the connector.
The connector is assembled in the following way. The electrical wires are passed through the through-holes of the seal member and the terminals are attached to end portions of the electrical wires. The terminals are inserted into terminal-receiving chambers of the first housing and the first housing is received in the second housing. The seal member is then press-fitted into the second housing and the connector is mated to a mating connector.
The seal member seals around the electrical wires and prevents entry of liquid such as water into the terminal-receiving chamber of the first housing.
The connector of (JP) H05-152028 A has the plurality of the through-holes accepting entry of the electrical wires.
Accordingly, when the electrical wires are stretched or bent, the seal member resiliently deforms and causes gaps against the electrical wires, resulting in entry of liquid such as water through the gaps.
The seal member can be more press-fitted into the second housing to seal around the electrical wires. However, a large press-fitting force is required to press-fit the seal member against the resilient force of the seal member, resulting in low efficiency of assembly of the connector.